13th September 2021.
Kampala, Uganda – Dr. Mathew Kirabo, a fugitive convicted of the murder of his girlfriend, Desire Mirembe, in 2015, has been apprehended in Nairobi. The arrest, carried out by Interpol on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, marks a significant breakthrough in a case that has spanned several years.
The case dates back to July 7, 2015, when Mirembe, a student at Makerere University Medical School, mysteriously disappeared shortly after leaving her hostel to meet her boyfriend, Dr. Kirabo. Tragically, her lifeless body was discovered in a sugarcane plantation in Jinja, Uganda.
The wheels of justice began turning when Kirabo confessed to the crime, leading detectives to the grim crime scene. He vividly reconstructed the events, describing how he had strangled Mirembe and slit her throat with a surgical blade. Kirabo was subsequently charged with murder at the Jinja Magistrates Court and later granted bail on November 24, 2016.
The case then transitioned to Mukono High Court, which held jurisdiction over the matter. However, in a shocking turn of events in May 2021, Kirabo applied to the court to reclaim his passport, citing plans to travel to the United States for further studies. This move raised public outrage and concerns about his intentions.
With the intervention of the former State House Anti-Corruption Unit head, Col. Edith Nakalema, the matter gained attention. The family met with Principal Judge Justice, Dr. Flavian Zeija, who assured them that the case would be expedited.
Despite these efforts, in October, Kirabo skipped court, with his lawyers claiming he was ill. Disturbingly, photographs later emerged showing Kirabo with a new girlfriend in the United States, casting doubt on his supposed illness.
Medical personnel who had allegedly falsified lab results indicating Kirabo’s illness were apprehended and remanded. On November 3, 2021, Judge Henry Kaweesa issued an arrest warrant for Kirabo, urging the police to bring him to court as soon as possible. Despite this warrant, Kirabo remained at large.
The sureties who had vouched for Kirabo’s appearance in court, Imelda Wabulembo, Benard Mbayo, and Elizabeth Baleke, eventually confessed that they had no knowledge of his whereabouts. This led to a stern judgment from Justice Kaweesa, who ordered each of them to pay a hefty fine of 50 million Ugandan shillings or face imprisonment for aiding the escape of a suspect. They ultimately paid a total of 150 million shillings.
Kirabo reportedly fled the country in November 2021, and his arrest warrant remained active until his capture in Nairobi by Interpol.
The arrest of Dr. Mathew Kirabo has brought a glimmer of hope to Desire Mirembe’s grieving family, who have long awaited justice for their beloved daughter. While the details surrounding his capture are yet to be disclosed, the development reaffirms the commitment of law enforcement agencies to bring closure to this heartbreaking case.
